Apparatus for charging and discharging gas-retorts.



No. 868,853. PATENTED OG T. 22, 1907. W. W. FIDDES & J. G. W. ALDRIDGE.

APPARATUS FOR GHARGING AND DISGHARGING GAS RETORTS. APPLIOATION FILED- MAB. 2. 1907.

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No. 868,853. PATENTED OCT.y 22. 1907.

W. W. FIDDBS & G. W. ALDRIDGE. APPARATUS FOR GHARGING AND DISCHARGING GAS RETQRTS.

APPLICATION `FILED MAB. 2. 1907. z SHEETS-SHEET z.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

WAl'jlflClt Wl IILIAM FIDDES, Oli1 BRISTOL7 AND JAMES GEORGE WILLCOX ALDRIDGE, OF

LONDON, ENGLAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

GAS-RETORTS Patented Oct. 22, 1907.

Application tiled March 2,190?. Serial No. 360,298.

To all who/n it muy concern:

Be it known that WALTE n Wittmn FLDDEs and JAMES GEonon Wil/Loox Anneloes, subjects ol the King ol` Great Britain and ireland, and respectively residents ol' 2 Elton road. liishopston, ,lh-istol, and 9 Victoria street7 London, both in England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus lor Charging and lischarging Gas-Retorts; and they do hereby declare the following to be a lull, clear, and eX- act description ol the invention, such as will enableotliers skilled in the art to which it appertains to malte and use the same,

This invention tor improvements in apparatus used in gasworks lor discharging colte [rom and charging coal into gas retorts relates more especially to through gas retorts and to apparatus that discharges and charges simultaneously, and consisting ol' two stiff or jointed side pieces held logether by distance pieces and having swinging push plates adapted to push the coal l'rom a movable bed plate outside the retort directly on to and along the bottoni ol the retort While the l'ront end is pushing out the coke, the coal being automatically supplied to the bed plate in the desired quantity as the charger advances into the retort.

New this invention has i'or its object to level the surface ol' the deposited coal and to prevent coal being withdrawn i'roin the retort during the return stroke oi the discharging charger and generally to leave an even surlace oi l'resh coal without any coal being withdrawn, and consists in a reverse plow fixed rearwards on the iront push plate at a suitable height; in balancing or hinging thedivisional plates so that they bear only lightly on the coal on the return stroke; and in driving j the chain or joint ed sides oi a jointed or articulated discharging charger by means ol notches cut in the sides or slight projections on the chain and corresponding projections on the wheel on which the jointed discharging charger is wound7 thus reducing as much as possible all internal projections.

The outsides ot the side pieces oi the discharging charger are provided with fixed or butt jointed projections to coniorni more nearly to the shape oi the retort and assure clean discharge.

In the accompa nying sheet ol illustrative drawings Figure l is a side elevation ol a hinged or jointed discharging charger constructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan oi' the plow. Fig. 3 is anend elevation oi' a supporting stay; and Figs. 4 and 5 are side elevations and plan respectively ol' one oi the swinging push plates.

The discharging charger comprises the two parallel side plates e held together by means oi' transverse distance pieces or lstays c and hinged together at c in the iorm ol a chain. t stud r working in a curved slot in a hinge plate t is provided to take the thrust oil the center pins or pivots c when the charger is operated. Suitable push plates d pivoted at dl are suspended between the side plates a from the brackets or arched stays e. placed at suitable distances apart in the entire length oi the chain. The plates cl are adapted to come against stops f when the charger is entering the retort, and are constructed as light as possible and curved to give increased strength so as to pass lightly over the surl'ace ol the coal on the return stroke Without Withdrawing any coal i'rom the retort. A reverse plow g is supported rearwards on the iront push plate and is iirinly held at one end by suitable stays m attached to the arched stay a and at the other by the stay b to even on the return movement the coal that has been deposited on the bed oi the retort by the forward movement oi the charger. The s'ides a oi the iront chain link are cut away to allow the plow g not only to level the coal between the chain but to spread it evenly to both sides oi the retort. In the case o the iront stay or bolt b this does not atleet the coal as it is distributed evenly by the plow g before the stay passes over it and consequently it cannot withdraw any coal from the retort.

Projections Z are provided on the chain or sides of the charger which engage with recesses or corresponding projections provided on the Wheel on which the chain is wound.

Side guide rollers o are attached in any convenient manner to the outside oi the chain.

In order to assure a clean discharge oi the coke the side pieces a ol' the discharging charger are provided with butt jointed projections p conforming to the shape of the retort.

In operation the discharging charger a is brought in iront oi the retortmouth-piece on a suitable bed plate and a forward movement is imparted to it while at the same time coal is ted trom a suitable hopper or chute into the spaces between the push plates. As the charger is moved iorward the coal is pushed along the hed plate and carried by means oi the push plates d into the retort. On the entry of the charger into the retort the iront push plate serves to impart a forward movement to the colte in the retort, discharging it from the further-most end. On the return movement oi the charger the push-plates take up an inclined position and are balanced or hinged so as to bear only lightly on the surface ol the coal7 the leveling being Vfinally completed by means oi the reverse plow g which distributes the coal evenly to both sides oi the retort. By this means it is possible to insert a lull charge and distribute it evenly over the whole suriace of the retort.

What they claim and desire to claim by Letters Patent is:-

1. In a discharging charger the combination of means for cleaning out a retort and leveling the charge therein, comprising an articulated supporting frame composed of side members having depending push plates pivotally mounted above the top of said side members, and means on said frame for engaging said plates to hold them rigid during the forward movement of the frame and permitting them to swing vforward on its return movement.

2. In a discharging charger the combination of'means for leveling the charge comprising a traveling supporting frame having spaced arched members extending across the top thereof, push plates hinged at their upper ends to said arched members, and means for holding said plates rigid during the forward movement of the frame and permitting them to swing forward on the backward movement thereof.

3. In a discharging charger, the combination of a supporting frame, butt-jointed projections carried thereby, push plates mounted on said frame, and means for evenly distrilmting;- the charge in the retort.

4. ln a discharging charger, the combination with means for cleaning out the retort, of means for leveling the charge vtherein comprising an articulated supporting frame having 2() depending push plates hinged at the upper ends thereof above the normal level of the coal, means on said frame for engaging said plates and holding them rigid during the forward movement of the frame and permitting them to swing forward on its return movement, and a reverse plow 25 fixed on the front push plate to evenly distribute the coal. In testimony whereof they have aiiixed their signatures, in presence of two witnesses.

VALTER VILLIAM FIDDES.

JAMES GEORGE VILLCOX ALDRIDGE.

Witnesses z E. M. ',loLnuroN, LOIUN A. LA'rHuor. 

